Second Chances
by tiswillard
Summary: When Leonard gets dumped by his girlfriend, only one person seems to care about him.


**Title: **Second Chances

**Pairing: **Leonard/Penny (Although it's implied more than anything)

**Fandom: **Big Bang Theory

**Theme Set: **A (Seven Deadly Sins)

**Specific sin/virtue: **Sloth

**A/N: **Sort of AU, depicting some break up with Leonard and someone else. I don't know who, but apparently it didn't sit well with Leonard. ALSO, I don't think cancer of the foot exists.

"Leonard," a distinctly female voice came from the opposite side of the door, accompanied with the sound of knuckles hitting against the hardwood. "You in there?"

"Where else would I be?" Leonard called out, drawing the covers over his head. He didn't want anyone to see him right now; especially not Penny. Why did she have to be waiting just outside of his door? "Go away."

"Why would I do that, Leonard?" His door creaked open and Leonard groaned, trying to bury himself even farther under the covers. Why couldn't the girl not have emotions, even for five seconds?

"Because I smell bad," he replied after hesitation. There was a squeaking from the weight of someone sitting at the end of the bed.

"It can't be that bad." Leonard knew that her statement had nothing to do with his possible odor. "You don't even sound like yourself. When was the last time you left your apartment, even?"

"A week ago, maybe," Leonard mumbled. Penny didn't respond, and he could practically see the expression on her face. "Penny, it's not like I've been counting or anything, can't you give me a break?" Leonard's aggravation seeped through his words; usually he was careful with that sort of thing around Penny, because unlike Sheldon, he actually cared about her feelings. Right now, however, was different.

"What about work?" Penny asked. "Won't you be fired for missing so many days?"

"I told them that the doctor caught on early that I found out I had leprosy and the doctor thinks that I have cancer of the foot and I can't walk because I just got the lumps removed. I think Sheldon's just told them about everything and told them I've become a severe hypochondriac, though. Not that I really care. I can lose my job, for all I care. I'm intelligent enough to become a gas station attendant or something."

There was a long silence before Penny responded, although Leonard knew she was wondering how he had even come up with those excuses. Eventually, a hand clasped around his ankle, and shook him. Leonard groaned again and kicked his leg so she would loosen her grip. He barely paid attention to the fact that he had, in fact, kicked Penny, until he heard the girl make hard contact with the ground. It was silent for a moment, and Leonard willed himself to pull the covers off from over his head. He sat up, to get a better look at Penny.

"Sorry," Leonard said in a small voice, holding the comforter to his lips like a young, frightened child. Penny, who was sitting on the floor, looking bemused as to how she ended up there caught, Leonard's eyes and gave him a grudging smile.

"It's fine," Penny said. "Just don't be so..." Penny eyes flicked towards the bed for a moment, and she stopped speaking entirely. Instead, she grabbed the edge of the bed and pulled herself upwards. Smoothing down her shirt, she cleared her throat and avoided Leonard's eyes.

"Don't be so what?" Leonard asked, letting his hands, still clutching the comforter, drop to his lap.

"Nothing," Penny replied quickly. Then, in an undertone, "I wouldn't expect you to understand it anyway." Leonard's eyebrows furrowed, still not following what Penny was trying to tell him. "With you locked inside your room, Howard's taken to suddenly deciding to be my best friend. Boy's got his mind in the--"

"Wait, so I'm your best friend?" Leonard asked, his face breaking out in a giant grin. Penny stopped, and looked at Leonard, unsure of how to respond.

"Well, I _guess," _Penny answered, biting her lip. "Sure, Leonard."

Both were quiet for a moment, Penny watching Leonard to see how he would react.

"I still don't know why you're here," Leonard said slowly.

"What do you mean?" Penny asked, taking a seat next to Leonard on the bed. Leonard couldn't help but notice how close they were right now, and he bit his lip to keep his face from reddening.

"I mean, nobody else seemed to care that I was locking myself in my room," he said shyly. Penny laughed.

"Well, you have to realize that Sheldon is too selfish to care, Howard is too much of a pervert to care about anything but which woman will sleep with him - which isn't very many, in case you haven't caught on. And Raj is...."

"Raj is just a guy who can't talk to woman without being drunk?" Leonard finished for her.

"Yea," Penny said, smiling in good humor. "That." It was quiet for a moment, Leonard looking like he was contemplating something. "So, come on Leonard, get out of bed. There'll be plenty of other girls. It's not the end of the world."

Penny bit her lip, watching to see what Leonard would do. Eventually, Leonard pushed the bedsheets off from his lap and he watched Penny's face break out into the biggest smile he'd ever seen. Before he knew it, Penny's lips were against his. It wasn't a major kiss, only a peck - but her lips were still on top of his. It lingered for a moment, although it may just have been Leonard's disbelief that the kiss had ever happened. Her arms wrapped around him for a moment, just a moment. None of it lasted very long, and she pulled away but his mouth hung open and he could swear he still felt her arms around her. She pulled away, skipping towards the door of the room, presumably to give Leonard his space.

"Penny!" Leonard called out when the girl was halfway out the room. She turned around, her head the only thing visible as she stuck it through the doorway. Leonard tried to continue, but it felt like something was lodged in his throat. Patiently, Penny smiled at him, and moved so all of her was visible from where Leonard was sitting on the edge of the bed. "Penny, I was wondering if... you'd be willing to try and go out on a date again?"

"Of course," Penny smiled. "Actually, I was sort of hoping you'd ask that." And with that, she was gone.


End file.
